The USGBC Massachusetts Chapter "promotes the design, construction, and operation of sustainable buildings and communities in Massachusetts..." Here, we showcase what the community is up to: who we are and what we do.

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Harvard Graduate School of Education recently celebrated the
LEED Platinum certification of the 1st and 2nd floors of
the Gutman Library. With three certified buildings already under their belts,
HGSE now leads the University for the number of certified projects per square
foot.

The 1st and 2nd Floors of the Gutman
Library, approximately 36,000 square feet, are certified under the LEED for
Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI v2009) rating system and earned a total of 83
points out of 110 possible points. The
goal of the renovation was to create a meeting place for the students and faculty
of the School of Education while still prioritizing sustainability. The renovations
included the addition of a café, indoor and outdoor seating, new reading and
lounge areas (including a working fireplace), and the rearrangement of book
stacks, periodicals, and microfiche collection. The project team also addressed
outstanding renewal issues with the mechanical, heating, and plumbing systems.

To achieve their goal of sustainability, the Gutman Library
project team:

Installed demand control ventilation. The volume
of outside air supplied to multi-occupant spaces is controlled by a C02 sensor.
C02 increases as more people enter the room and more outside air is provided

Reused waste heat in the kitchen. Air handling
units in the kitchen hood captures and uses the waste heat from the
refrigeration equipment to pre-heat the supply air

Diverted 96% of construction waste from the
landfill

For more information on this facility and its sustainability
features: